Authority: National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT)
Case: Minority shareholders’ class action against Jindal Poly Films Ltd.
Date of Order: 6 February 2026
On 6 February 2026, the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) admitted a class-action petition filed by a group of minority shareholders against Jindal Poly Films Ltd. under Section 245 of the Companies Act, 2013. Section 245 allows a group of members with shared grievances to represent a larger class of shareholders and seek relief when the company’s affairs are being conducted in a manner that is unfair, prejudicial, or oppressive to their interests. In this case, the petitioners demonstrated to the tribunal that the statutory requirements for a class action including a sufficient number of affected members and common issues of grievance were satisfied. The Tribunal’s decision is notable because although Section 245 has been on the statute book for many years, it has seldom been invoked or admitted in practice. By allowing this class action to proceed, the NCLT has signalled a stronger willingness to use this provision to address collective shareholder harm and enhance minority investor protection. The case is now permitted to move forward, meaning the class action can continue through NCLT proceedings, and Section 245 is being treated as a viable legal tool for collective shareholder remedies in India.